Improvement in fire-extinguishers



Patented Dec. 6, 1870.

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amen %tattz time (tithe WILLIAM P. VAN DEURSEN, OF (lINGIN-NA'IL- OHIO.

Letters Patent No. 109,975,'dated December 6, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-EXTINGUISHERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. VA}: Diseases, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, have iuventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Fire Extinguishers; and -I do hereby declare the following to be a sufficiently full, clear, and exact description thereof to enable one skilled in the art to which my invention 'appertains to make and use it, reference being hurl to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification.

Nature and Objects of Invention.

My invention relates to apparatus for generating carbonicvacid gas or other gas within a firc-extinguish er; and

It consists First, in the provision within the gas-generating chamber of an acid-chamber, of such peculiar form and connection that, while it is adapted to be filled from the exterior of the tank at the top, as the customary and most convenient place, is opened by devices inserted and operated in andthrough the side of the tank, the object being to locate the devices for filling and discharging the acid at certain points with relation to each other, which wi1l permit of a simple device being used to discharge the acid without damage to the chamber.

Second, in a certain construction of acid-chamber, which, while being always accessible by the means provided for filling in and discharging the acid, is, when closed, totally lined with lead, the. object being an acid-chamber, which can be opened at either end and non-corrosive in all its parts.

Third, in a peculiarly-formed and connected sleeve for supporting and guiding the valve-stem to the acidchamb'er, the end ofthe sleeve serving as a valve-seat, against which the back of the valve is seated, when the acid discharge is open, and thus prevents the escape of gas by way of the valve-stem, when the acid is being discharged into the tank, and gas is generated.

Fourth, in a general combination and arrangement of parts composing the entire apparatus.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing. Figure 1 is an axial or central vertical section of an extinguisher embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an exterior perspective view of the same.

General Description.

F is the acid-chamber, which is of letter L or elbow form, as shown. This'form permits of the chamber being filled at the top and opened at the lower end of the acid-chamber by devices operated through the side of the tank.

The chamber cannot be opened at the bottom by devices which are operated through the top of the tank, except by the use of complicated mechanism,

-liable to leakages, and the necessity of two or more holes in the top of the tank, through which the valve can be operated.

By the use of the elbow-form F, a simple device can be adopted to govern the discharge.

The upper end of thejacid-chamber is expanded and riveted to tightly fit the bushing G, which is fitted with a screw-cap, H,"t0 close the top of the chamber.

The lower end of the chamber is countersunk at the mouth, to form a valve-scat for the double-faced lead valve I.

The chamber F is composed of lead, the only cheap metal which is, for this use, non-corrosive, and the cap is fitted interiorly, with a plate or gasket of lead, J.

The valve I being of lead, it will be seen that when the chamber is closed it is totally lined with lead, and, therefore, cannot be corroded in any of its parts by the action of the sulphuric acid.

The chamber ll is braced to the side of the tank A in the manner shown, to resist the pressure of the valve I in closing.

The stem K of the valve is guided and supported by the sleeve L, which is secured in the side of the tank substantially in the manner shown, and fitted with a stuffing-box, M, for packing the valve-stem.

The stem is screw-threaded to tit the female screw in the sleeve L, and is operated by the hand-wheel N.

The interior end of the sleeve L is countersunk in the manner shown, to form a. seat for the back face of the valve I, and thus enable the valve I, when open, to close up the sleeve, through which it passes, in order to effectually prevent leakage of gas by way of the valve-stem.

The stutfing-box M, I do not consider reliable to prevent leakages entirely when the pressure is in the.

chamber A, and it is provided merely to close up as much as possible this avenue of escape, when the lower end of the acid-chamber is closed by the valve, for the purpose of refilling.

The cock E can be furnished with suitable hose, for discharging the contents where desired, and straps, O, can be attached to the tank, to enable a person to conveniently carry it on his back.

Operation. I

The operation of my apparatus is similar to others which combine an acid-chamber within a gas-generator, except those in which the acid-chamber is destroyed when discharged, and is as follows:

\Vater and bicarbonate of soda (in solution or not, as may be convenient,) is put into the tank A through opening 0, and sulphuric acid is placed in the chamber F. When it is necessary, or desirable to use the contents of the tank upon a fire, the valve I is opened, and the acid discharged into the chamber A. The acid and alkali are commingled, and by chemical action of one upon the other, carbonic acid gas is generated with a rapidity depending somewhat upon the amount of soda the liquid has dissolved, and the time it takes the acid to reach the bottom of the tank, where the UDdlSSOh'GdvPOI'tiOTIS of the soda are always deposited \Vater will absorb under ordinary circumstances of pressure and temperature its own volume ofcarbonicacid gas, and, under increased pressure,as much more in proportion to the number of atmospheres of pressure-one volume to each additional atmosphere of pressure, or thereabout; therefore, as fast as the gas generated creates a pressure, it is absorbed to the above exlent by the water, and when, in the course of a few moments, it is desired to throw the contents (water and absorbed gases) upon the fire, the pressure is sufiicient to throw from forty to sixty-feet. The accumulated or dissolved gas held in the water and escaping with it is of material advantage in putting out the tire.

By my device (which difi'ers from nearly all others in this respect) the acid can be delivered to the alkali in determinate quantities, so as to have as little or much pressure as may be desired, or to charge the tank with some pressure, and then to fill up the acidchamber, so that the full pressure can be generated again at any time necessary.

The condition of the tank and acid-chamber can be tested at any time by the removal of the caps B H, and if any doubt still exists, open the valve I sutticiently to allow a drop of acid to fall into the soda liquid, and the result (harmless, whether the cap B be on or 0H,) will be satisfactory.

The advantages of my invention over all others in use, in addition to what has been already specified are as follows:

The lead-acid receptacle being a common lead-pipe,

does not require special manufacture, and the simplicity of its parts renders it easy of construction and repair, and less liable to get out of order than any other in use. The sleeve L being detachable, as shown, from the tank A, the valve can be taken out, examined, and repaired, when necessary.

I do not desire to confine myself to any specific form of valve and valve-faces, as fiat or other form may be used in place of the countersunk form.

The sleeve L may be made of such length as to permit of two valves being used on the stem K, if preferred, to the double-faced valve, as shown.

The apparatus is designed especially for a fire-extinguisher, but may 'be used as a generator of gases for other uses. The discharge-opening of the acid chamber being in the center of the tank horizontally, and about the center vertically, the acid reaches the bottom of the tank in much less time than when put in from near the top, and the gas is generated in larger quantity in less time than by any other device.

Claims.

1. In the described connection with the gas-generating chamber A,the acid-chamber F, substantially of the form described, when constructed to be opened at the upper end from the outside and top of the chamber A, and at the lower or discharging-end from the side of the chamber, as described, and for the purpose specified.

2. The acid-chamber 13, when constructed of lead and fitted with lead-lined cap HJ, and lead-discharging valve I, as described, and for the purpose specified.

3. In the described combination with the acidchamber 1 and valve LK, the sleeve L, as and for the purpose described.

4. The chamber A B O D E, acid-chamber F H, valve I K, and sleeve L, combined and arranged substantially in the manner and forthe purpose specified.

In testimony of which invention 1 hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM P. VAN DEURSEN.

Witnesses:

FRANK MILLWARD, CHARLES E. CALLAHAN. 

